Barcelona Marathon 2014

E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

Hi all,

I couldnt find a thread for the Barcelona Marathon for next year so wanted to create one. I've heard some great feedback about the course and can't wait to run it!

URL: http://www.zurichmaratobarcelona.es/

The date has recently changed to: Sunday 16th March.

Is there anyone else that has already registered or thinking about it?

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Comments

  • Emmy - thanks so much for posting this.  My running club are organising a group trip to go and run this marathon and have a long weekend in Barcelona......almost booked some cheap flights last night for the weekend of the 23rd - very glad I didn't!

    It will be my first marathon and I'm already so excited about it. At least I have plenty of time to train image

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    @TinyRunner- Welcome! image I was quite surprised to. I'm a little concerned as I've let a few friends know that have already booked. I'm still trying to work out what will happen if people have booked flights etc.

  • I hope the airlines will let them transfer flights.  It's so far in advance there shouldn't be a problem......but no doubt they'll want to charge a hefty fee for transferring image. I hope they can get it sorted.  It's now made me a bit reluctant to book flights incase they change their mind again!

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    I heard "No". They were only forced to change because of the city council - they said that there will be no other changes.

    I hope that they can change/refund it.

  • Why did they change the date? Anything special going on in town?

  • Quite tempted by this one too! A bit worried about all the booking that goes with it though - flights, hotel etc as have never done a race outside UK. Think I might need to convince hubby first though!

  • If I enjoy the New York marathon in November (my first marathon) then I will be doing Barcelona. It's one of my families favourite cities and it is only a 4 hour drive north for us, so it's an ideal marathon to run.
  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭

    6 from my club (including myself) have entered already and I expect that number to double fairly soon. I was having 2nd thoughts about having already entered during my marathon last Sunday, those seem to have gone now!! With so many from the club going it should be a craic - my 1st overseas marathon!

  • Barcelona was my first overseas marathon in 2010 and I loved it, well worth going to!

  • I entered as soon as registration opened - a year in advance. They did change the dates a few days later, but most people ( me included) wont have been able to book flights etc that far in advance as most airlines only let you book 350 days max ahead of travel.

    Bellabee, don;t worry about it being out of UK, I did my first ever marathon this year in Rome and it was just brilliant image Hence why I am doing another and have heard great things about Barca image

  • MelbowMelbow ✭✭✭

    Hi all. i did this last month as my first road marathon and loved every minute of it.i highly recommend it. enjoyed the expo centre ,race atmosphere and course. .It wasnt expensive to travel about on the metro with the T10 cards. our appartment(Apartment 08028) was afew stops on the metro from the start. it was reasonable ,especially if 6 can share. the race passes infront too, . i definately have the bug now.. Just wish we'd had a few more days to see the sights.  i know its a long way off, but I wish you all the best x

     

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Stockholm syndrome - they tole me on the phone that the city told them to move it.



    I've not booked flights yet - I'm waiting for the good deals from the budget airline in autumn time.



    I've been scouting information from a few friends that did it last year and they said there a few surprise hills that you don't expect but it's a great city to run in.



    Bells bee - if you're worried consider booking through a tour operator. Personally I book everything myself because I'm cheapimage but it could be an idea for you image



    Melbow- thanks for the feedback and good wishes. Perhaps come back next year for the sightseeing en route?



    Molly - what about coming back in 2014? image
  • Bellabee - agree with what Emmy H said above.  It will be my first race abroad (including first ever marathon) so I'm willing to pay a bit more money to have somebody else sort everything out for me image.  Google 'running crazy' - they do packages where they will meet you at the airport, transfer you to hotel (which they book for you), sort out your guaranteed race entry etc.  It would be cheaper to book everything for yourself but to be honest I think anything that takes a lot of stress away from your first mara is worth every penny!

    I haven't booked my flights yet - Emmy do you think it would be cheaper to wait until the autumn?  I'd heard it might be cheaper to book them as soon as they come out?

    Hearing lots of positive things about this event image

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    @Tinyrunner - it really depends on the luck of the draw. I've done it before so from where I travel - the airlines do special offers after summer (99 EUR return for example) so i check regularly and see what the trend is like.

    If its a cheaper airline - booking earlier is definitely advised but you need to be careful as they'll only decide their routes 6 months before so it's worth having a look at the TandC's

  • Anyone jknow when the Expo is? the website worringly says 14, 15 Feb - I assume it's supposed to be March....

    Any hints on this marathon greatfully received. Only done London before and they hand hold so well through the whole process.

    Key questions:

    Is there left luggage facility at the start? Expo arrangements? Good spectator points? Travel to start / from finish?

    Be good to get any advice from any Barcelona vet's

    Thanks for starting this thread.

  • As an update, have had an email back from the Marathon people - Expo is indeed 14,15 March. They're updating the website

  •  

    Lived in Barcelona until last year and ran it twice and my wife ran it again this year.

    It's a great marathon, the first part and the last is a little uphill, but it goes past all the sights and it well organised

    Is there left luggage facility at the start? Yes very close to the start and it's easy to get your bag afterwards. It's in the same place as the expo which again is very close to the start

    Expo arrangements? rock up before 6pm on Saturday and you and 1 guest get to have free pasta (in reality, you need to be there before 3:30 for the pasta. Many people will speak English if you cannot muster. Soy Ingles quiero dorsal 32813

    Good spectator points? Yes many, Placa espana is where the start is and just walking you can see people at 4km, 11km and then if you want, get a metro across the city to 26km and then back for the finish.

    Travel to start / from finish? Same place

    Be good to get any advice from any Barcelona vet's

    Hotels / AC Sants, Gran Torre Catalunya or Expo hotels are wihtin 300m of the start whish is also the expo.

    Food - Just ask for what you want in the restaurant, but be warned, restaurants usually open at 2030 apart from the very tourist areas

    From the airport / Get a T10 ticket which gives you 10 journeys for less than 10 Euros. This train stops at Barcelona Sants which is next to the 3 hotels above

    Temperature - Anywhere between 10C and 22C, but likely to be 17C, so pretty good.

    The race - Water stops are very good, crowds are improving and the pacers are every 15 minutes... they are not always perfect on pacing, although the 3 hour pacer with the child in the buggy (yes he has done this for the last 3 years) is spot on. The 3:45 pacers were not so hot this year. 2:45 were pretty good too.

     

    Enjoy!!!

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭

    Nice one TJK - thanks for the info! Interested to hear about the 2.45 pacer - that's got me thinking!!

  • Thanks so much TJK superb advice. I won't be troubling the 2:45 pacer!!

  • wow thanks for the info and the pacer with the buggy wow!! 

    Our club  mentioned a club trip to do this next year so I'm hoping to do it as I was told they also do a HM and a 10k run as well so something that would suit all club members not wishing to do a marathon 

  • hello, about to press the "enter" button on the Barca mara website, so am getting excited.  will drive down as it's about 4 hours from me.  Ooh something to train again for.

     

     

  • done it.....ooooh good feeling that is image

  • I've entered this one although I haven't made any travel arrangements as yet. image

  • Hi all,

    Does anyone know if entries are still open?

    After ripping my calf at the Thames Meander Half last week, I'm very doubtful for Chester Marathon (see what Physio says tomorrow) which was going to be my first, so looking for another to be my first and a few days in barcelona may be enough of a reward to get me out of the depression about having to pull out of Chester.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Hi Nelly - Yes - entries are still open! image What did the physio say after your appointment? How is your calf doing now? I ran the Thames Meander full and had a good race (despite the rain). That last hill was a mean one, wasn't it?

  • Hi Emmy,

    you must have got drenced doing the full marathon, I managed to stumble over the line before that downpour, you guys on the full marathon must have got it all.

    Yeah that hill wasn't very nice on the half let only at the end of the full.

    Apparently I've managed to paritally detach my Achilles where it joins onto my calf muscle (physio says not as bad as it sounds) but around 4 weeks out so chester definately not happening for me, so looking at a couple including this one as possibles for the spring. i will beat this 26.2 one day image

     

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    You'll get there Nelly! It was absolutely drenched. I have a picture on Facebook and I looked like a drenched rat image

    There's some great spring marathons out there and Barcelona is a great one. Hope to see you there!

  • Hi all I have enterd image . I did the paris marathon last year along with one or two others on this thread.If it is as good as paris it will be brill.

  • me too Phil, so hopefully see you in Barca in March

  • Hi Phill, Onetit, Emmy - looks like a small Paris reunion is forming. See you there!

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